The Friend and The Glue
by Everyone's a Mortal
Summary: "His hands let go of the railing. He closes his eyes, waiting for impact. But it never comes. His eyes stay closed long after he's hit the wooden deck. There's another body next to him, and from the breaths and grunts, it's a male, and Leo knows who it is. Percy Jackson has found his way on deck."


_**The Friend and The Glue.**_

_By __**Everyone's a Mortal.**_

_**. **__. __**.**_

_"Everything that kills me_

_Makes me feel right."_

_**. **__. __**.**_

Leo stood on deck, his hands behind his back, the ocean breeze messing with his long curly hair, which has grown longer from his time on Ogygia. The ocean churns beneath him, a sign it's happy that it's Son has returned.

His thoughts churn like the ocean, though not happily. It's angry and full of sorrow. He swings his legs over the railing, put there so no one would accidentally fall off.

But Leo doesn't mean for this to be an accident.

His past is catching up to him; the fires start more and more. His emotions are getting the best of him. The good part of him -the friend to all- is disappearing. Ever since Calypso he's been transparent. His Love for her has broken him.

_"Mijo, nothing is unfixable."_

His _mamá's _words don't affect him anymore. Leo understands that some thing _are _unfixable. A broken heart will always break when they lay eyes on _that _person again. A death of a loved one. A horrible memory.

_People_.

_People are unfixable. _He feels the salty water touch his ankles. He wants to leave. He does. He can hear Gaea whispering, _yes, Poseidon is busy with his army. He won't save you. His son is too weak. No one to stop you, young demigod. You may be free. _And he feels guilty. Oh, _so _guilty. He doesn't mean to leave Calypso without fulfilling his oath, but he is tired.

His hands slightly loosen their grip on the rail, and he feels his body strangly relaxed, though his heart is running like a well-oiled train.

His sleeves have gotten longer. No one has noticed. Most people think only the girls hurt their skin. But he's gotten desperate. Most people _say _they don't have anyone to listen to them. He really doesn't. Jason is with Piper. Hazel and Frank aren't well-known enough. Percy is too hurt and Annabeth is scary. Leo Valdez is alone.

_"Repair boy."_

_"Devil's boy."_

_"Charboiled runt of a boy."_

_"Half the demigod he should be."_

His eyes sting. The shirt is loose and if you look closely you can see his scars. Leo takes a breath. He's close. He will be free of this prophecy. He will... He will...

He will never see Calypso again. He will never see Piper's strange eyes or Jason's annoying perfectness. He will never see the awesomeness that is Percy Jackson.

But this doesn't stop him. His hands let go of the railing. For a second there is a rush of free fall. He waits for impact.

But it never comes.

His eyes stay closed long after his body hits the wooden deck. He feels another body breathing next to him -also laying down. From the heavy breaths and grunts, it's a male, and Leo knows who it is.

Percy Jackson has found his way on deck.

_**. **__. __**.**_

"Why did you come?" Leo finally says. His voice cracks.

"I... didn't... didn't want to... To lose a friend..." Percy answers, voice hoarse and sad.

"I'm not a friend." Leo finally opens his eyes and finds Percy leaning against the wooden steps. He looks stronger than the day before, but still incredibly weak.

_Kill him. _Gaea's voice whispers, though how, Leo doesn't know. _He is weak. Bring me the other one. You and your friends will go free. Just do it! Bring me Jason Grace and Annabeth Chase. Kill Percy Jackson! Do it!_

Leo was about to tell the old lady to shoo, but Percy got there first. He stood shakily. _"Get off this ship you demon of a mother. Get off this ship, get out of my head, GET OUT! I hate you. I hate you more than Tartarus itself. I want you gone. Now, get off and away. Or I will wake my father." _

The threat must not frighten Gaea, because she cackles. _Little soldiers, do you not understand? Both your fathers are busy. They won't hear you. Death by suicide is better than the outcome._

But Percy stands his ground. When he speaks, Leo realizes why it sounds so strange. Gaea and Percy are speaking in an Ancient tongue -the tongue of the _Immortals_.

_"Poseidon, I call for your help. I am your son, the son of the sea god. I am weak now and I ask for assistance. Gaurd our ship till morning, Father. That is my wish. Gaurd us from your grandmother Gaea, my great grandmother, the goddess of the Earth, who wishes to kill us all. She believes I am bluffing, that you are not a true father. She is wrong. Do not let her insult our family."_

The way Percy speaks startles Leo. Even though he looks the same, Leo realizes that Percy stands like a god. Then he realizes -all the stories of Percy being offered Immortality, they must be true. Why Percy turned it down, Leo has yet to understand. But the demigod stands and carries himself makes him realize, Percy is stronger than most demigods. Maybe even stronger than Jason, because Percy knows the true meaning of _hero_.

For a moment nothing happens. Gaea seems to chuckle from wherever she is. Then the waters shoot up and form a sphere around the _Argo II_. Water streams everywhere -cleaning, as if removing Spirits. And then Leo sees that it _is _removing ghosts. They scream and struggle but the water flings them far away. Once it's over, it forms a perfect sphere. Still allowing air in, but nothing else.

Gaea is silent.

Percy smiles. _"Thank you, Father. I will repay my debt."_

The ocean surges and from it a voice speaks, _"Defeat my... Ah, grandmother. Then the debt'll be more than reayed. Go to sleep, my son. You've done well. And Leo Valdez... I was going to save you. Just because the oceans seemed calm, doesn't mean they were."_

The voice leaves.

Percy sinks to the ground, and some of the water splashes to him. For a moment the scars clean up. He glows with a blue aura of power. And when he smiles, there is a little boy's happiness. Then it's gone and the Percy who's seen Tartarus is back.

"Leo." He says, and it's in English, his slight Manhattan accent showing in his words. It's definatley not an Ancient tongue anymore. "Don't lose hope."

"How do I do that?" Leo challenges.

Percy sighs. He rubs his forehead. "By remembering good times. You cannot live life in darkness. You play an important part on this ship, Valdez. Don't destroy yourself over a girl. Calypso will wait for you. Don't leave because so many people look down on you or have left. If I had left because of that, I'd have been dead at twelve."

Leo sits there, not believing the words. "What role? How do you know about Calypso?"

"I met her, too, Leo. She's beautiful. But she's cursed. I can tell by looking at you, you want her as your prom date. You'll find a way. And I'll help you." Percy laughs. Dryly, he says, "She has the right to slap me."

Leo cracks a slightly hysterical smile. "As for your role," Percy continues, "You built this ship, didn't you? And you kept the crew together while I was gone. That's hard. But you did it. You're the friend, Leo. Not a friend, _the _friend. That's your role. I didn't get it at New Rome. I was angry. But I understand you now. My dad cares for everyone I care about, Leo. I care about you. You're vital for us. You helped Frank and by helping Frank, Hazel and he finally decided Greeks were okay. You kept Jason from going biserk and Piper from panicking. You're okay, kid. You're okay."

Leo sits there, stunned. Percy Jackson has called him okay. That is the biggest compliment he's ever received. Percy says, "Leo Valdez, the Friend. Yeah, I can... I can see that..." he trails off. Suddenly Leo realizes he's much weaker than he let on.

"Percy?" He asks, hesitantly. "Percy how much did it take to pull off that stunt?"

Percy coughs. He slumps down. Leo takes off his shirt, ignoring the very seeable scars, and puts it underneath Percy's head as a pillow. "P-Percy? Don't die on me, Jackson. Festus! Wake up the crew!"

Festus does as commanded, and they rush up, all in their pijamas. They take a look at the ship in surprise, and then see Leo crying over Percy. "You idiot! Breathe! In and out!" Leo commands, and Percy struggles to obey. "Come on!"

Percy coughs and Annabeth leans in next to Leo. He moves over slightly. Annabeth is in betetr shape than Percy, most likely because Percy did more fighting. "P-percy?" She whimpers.

Percy smiles, his eyes glazing over. "Wise Girl..." he whispers. "I remember... I remember you were so pretty when I first saw you. I thought" -he coughed- "I thought you were a princess. Do you remember what you told me?"

Annabeth's body shakes. Jason is staring in horror and Hazel is getting ambrosia. Piper is sobbing, hugging herself. Frank stands, stunned. Leo feels guilt creep up. This is his fault. If he hadn't been so depressed... So... So...

"You drool in your sleep." Percy says, when Annabeth doesn't answer. "Do I still do that, Annie?"

"Y-yes... Yes you do, Percy."

"I love you. Tell..." Percy takes a shallow breath. "Tell my family I tried. Tell Grover I'm sorry. Tell Nico he's too good for me. And Reyna... Tell her Skippy called he amazing." He turns his head to look at the others. "Hazel, don't. You guys are my family." Percy's eyes focus back for a second. "Annabeth?"

"No... don't. Don't leave me here. Seaweed Brain..." she sobs.

"Don't... don't I get a kiss for goos luck? Kind of a tradition, right?"

Annabeth laughs slightly, choking back tears. She kisses him, and he smiles.

Percy Jackson doesn't speak again.

_**. **__. __**.**_

The time afterwards is especially difficult. The water becomes darker and sorrowful. Annabeth hugs her dead lover's body. And Leo does something he never thought he'd do. He comforts her. His skinny arms wrap around her, and she hugs him back. They stay this way. Leo knows without asking what she wants to hear. And so he tells her a story. It's one his mother would tell him and he doesn't remember the exact details, but the rest of his friends lie around Percy's body. Hazel rests her head against Frank's chest and falls asleep. Frank listens awhile longer, then nods off. Jason and Piper fall asleep crying.

Annabeth falls asleep against Leo, her hand clutching Percy's. And the son of the Forges was almlst alseep, too.

_"Why are you snuggling with my girlfriend?"_ At first Leo believes he's dreaming. Corpses can't speak. But then Percy sits up and rubs his eyes. He looks better, like when the water touched him. No trace of Tartarus on him. "Leo? I thought we were buddies, dude."

Leo's jaw drops. "You were... I thought... We saw..."

"Me die? Yeah, I know. I felt myself dying, too." Percy smiles, but there's a weirdness to it, as if he's learning how to smile. "But when I got there, Charon said it wasn't my time. He was like, _you're too early. Death wouldn't like it. Go away. _So I left. The doors opened and Thanatos shood me. He said I'd better name my kid after him for this." Percy shrugs.

Annabeth stirs, and then she screams. "PERCY?!" She cries, and runs into his arms. Percy and Leo chuckle. The scream wakes everyone. They stare at their friend, and give him hugs. When Jason shakes Percy's hand, he narrows his eyes. "I'm real. Jeez." Percy says. He explains what happened, and Hazel nods.

"Makes sense. The Fates and everyone has fortold a long life for you. And you can live long in Death." She says.

Everyone shrugs. They stand awkwardly till Percy rolls his eyes, "Well? Get back to your duties, slow-pokes? Dawn's here! Leo and I have the first watch. Everyone else hit the hay. I'll have all of y'all up here for duty at twelve. Drills first, then manning the ship."

Everyone stares. "The ship can run itself." Leo musters.

Percy grins, "oh I know. But these guys need to learn. It's good excersise too." No one moves, and Percy shakes his head. "I said, _go_!" He urges, in a commanding voice. Everyone grins and runs off.

Annabeth kisses Percy. "I don't wanna leave you." She murmurs. Leo looks away.

Percy hugs her and points towards below. "I'll join you around nine. Go sleep, Annabeth."

She leaves.

Percy cocks his head at Leo. "It's not your fault."

"You came up here 'cause of me."

Percy shakes his head. "No. I felt a presence. I saw you and helped you. I came up here 'cause of Gaea."

Leo slowly grins, and Percy hands him his shirt. He doesn't acknowledge Leo's scars. "C'mon." He grins. "Let's go plot about how to get your girlfriend off that island."

He heads towards Festus, and Leo realizes that Percy is the glue. He keeps everyone together. But Percy is also correct about Leo. Leo managed to comfort everyone when Percy 'died'.

The Friend follows The Glue.


End file.
